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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25994587">Dance Me to the End of Love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LUZ_DE_ROC/pseuds/LUZ_DE_ROC'>LUZ_DE_ROC</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Acacias 38 (TV), Maitino - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Fluff, One Shot, Podcast, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 02:48:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,646</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25994587</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LUZ_DE_ROC/pseuds/LUZ_DE_ROC</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-Podcast Episode #9 ("La Duda").</p><p>If only Maite and Camino spent some time together to sort out some important issues....</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Maite and Camino</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dance Me to the End of Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I don't know if anyone has heard Leonard Cohen's song "Dance Me to the End of Love," but it's hauntingly beautiful and speaks to a love that endures, one that is safe and strong. And that's Maitino for me, despite what is currently happening. So I wanted to help them get out of the mess they're in. It's getting harder every week, but I'm trying.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin.</em> <em><br/>Dance me through the panic till I'm gathered safely in.<br/>Lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove.<br/>Dance me to the end of love.</em></p><p>
  <em> - Leonard Cohen</em>
</p><p> </p><p>When I walk back into the apartment several hours later, I find Camino pacing the living area. I can see her easel in the corner with a few lines drawn on the canvas, but it’s hardly the product of hours of work.</p><p>She stops and looks at me as I close the door, and I can immediately see the pain in her eyes. I hold her gaze as I put down my keys and take off my beret.</p><p>“Are you ready to tell me what’s bothering you?” I ask quietly. Camino’s eyebrows lift.</p><p>“How did you know something is bothering me?”</p><p>I tilt my head at her.</p><p>“Camino, I know you. I know I’ve been a little distant lately, but I still have eyes. Something was clearly wrong when you got back from the newspaper.”</p><p>She sighs and nods and her shoulders drop.</p><p>“Does it have something to do with your article?” I prompt.</p><p>Camino shakes her head.</p><p>“No, the article is fine. At least, I think it’s fine. Nicolás didn’t really read it while I was there.”</p><p>“Bueno…entonces…?”</p><p>Camino clasps her hands together and twists them, but says nothing, and I can see her lower lip tremble slightly. I step closer.</p><p>“Camino, whatever it is, just…say it, and we’ll deal with it. It can’t be worth upsetting yourself like this.”</p><p>She looks at me, her eyes seemingly pleading with me, but I can’t make out what her expression is saying.</p><p>“Camino,” I try again, “Please, just –”</p><p>“Nicolás thinks you and Sophie are having an affair and it’s not the first time he’s implied it and he keeps trying to convince me that it’s true.”</p><p>The words come out of her all at once, in a rush, and it takes me a moment to process what she’s just said. When I actually put the words together in my head, I look at her incredulously.</p><p>“<em>What?! He what?!”</em></p><p>Camino nods miserably.</p><p>“Sí.”</p><p>I clench my fists.</p><p>“That son of a bitch.” And then I look at her sharply, remembering her reaction earlier when I said I was going to go see Sophie. “Camino, you don’t believe him, do you?”</p><p>Camino shakes her head.</p><p>“No, of course not, Maite,” she says, “I know you wouldn’t do that, and I told him I believe you. But when he’s talking and insinuating things and twisting my own words around, I feel like I start doubting what I know is true. And then you said you were going to see Sophie, and I just…let myself think the worst for a moment. I’m sorry.”</p><p>I walk over to her, take both her hands in mine, and look her straight in the eye.</p><p>“Camino, I would never, and I mean <em>never</em>, do that to you. Not in a million years. I made that mistake many years ago, and I would not wish what I went through on my worst enemy. Besides, I would be a fool to look anywhere else when I finally have the love my life right here with me.”</p><p>I see Camino’s eyes soften a little, but I can see there is still worry.</p><p>“Nicolás is really convinced of it,” she says. I clench my jaw, the anger for Sophie’s husband returning.</p><p>“Nicolás has <em>always</em> had a jealously problem when it comes to Sophie. He thinks everyone is after her, which isn’t helped by the fact that Sophie flirts with just about everyone. But that’s the way she’s always been, and he knew that when he married her, and frankly, that’s <em>his</em> problem. They’ve been at this for years, believe me. And if he thinks that he’s going to drag you and me into whatever current game those two are playing, he’s going to think very differently tomorrow when I go see him.”</p><p>Camino shakes her head suddenly.</p><p>“No, Maite, don’t, por favor.”</p><p>“Camino, I am not going to allow this to continue. He has no right to draw you into his little intrigues.”</p><p>“No, I mean…please let me take care of it. He clearly thinks he can manipulate me, and I want to be the one to tell him that he can’t. And if that costs me the article, fine, because this isn’t worth it. I’ve hated doubting us for even one minute, and I’m done doing it.”</p><p>I watch her face flush with the force of her words, and a smile plays on my lips despite the seriousness of the conversation.</p><p>She catches me and stops.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>I reach out to touch her face.</p><p>“I was just thinking…there’s my girl. I would truly hate to be the person who gets in your way.”</p><p>Camino blushes further and shrugs.</p><p>“No one is going to tell me what to think anymore.”</p><p>“Lo sé. I know I wouldn’t dare,” I say with a small wink. “Now, come over here,” I request, leading her over to the sofa. “There’s still something I want to talk to you about.”</p><p>Camino follows me willingly and sits down next to me, looking at me expectantly.</p><p>I take a breath.</p><p>“We still need to sort out this Sophie business because I don’t think we ever really finished talking about it. And you said something the other day that has bothered me since. You made it sound like you felt inferior to Sophie because she is pretty and intelligent and an artist. So I need you to listen to me very carefully right now because what I’m going to say is the absolute truth. <em>You</em> are beautiful, inside and out. <em>You</em> are one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met, full of curiosity and unique insights. And let me tell you one more thing – you are every <em>inch</em> as much an artist as she is.”</p><p>At that, she makes a dismissive sound.</p><p>“Camino,” I say firmly, “The only thing Sophie has that you don’t is practice. That’s it, and it doesn’t make her any more or less of an artist than you. She’s just had years to work on sculpting. Believe me, when she was starting out and was where you are? She wasn’t any better.”</p><p>Camino looks at me like she doesn’t believe me, so I continue, leaning forward.</p><p>“Listen, one of these days we’re going to sneak into her studio, since I happen to know where she hides the key, and I’m going to show you some of her earlier works that she’s kept. I promise you, it took Sophie time to get where she is, just like most artists.”</p><p>Camino still looks doubtful.</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“De veras. She has this sculpture that she did of her brother years ago that he refused to even take. When I saw it, I had nightmares for a week.”</p><p>A small laugh finally bubbles up from Camino.</p><p>I look at her and smile, but I reach to take her hands in mine.</p><p>“Camino, what is this with you and Sophie? I had actually hoped that the two of you would like each other, but I see it’s becoming the opposite.”</p><p>Camino takes a deep breath.</p><p>“No lo sé. It’s just…” she looks down at our clasped hands, and then back up at me. “Sometimes it’s very obvious to me that…”</p><p>I wait for her to continue, but she seems reticent to do so.</p><p>I loosen one hand from hers to take her chin and gently draw her eyes to me.</p><p>“That what, Camino?”</p><p>She sighs and presses her lips together.</p><p>“That she knows you so much better than I do,” she confesses. I sit back and consider her words.</p><p>“Do you…feel like you don’t know me?”</p><p>Camino makes a frustrated sound.</p><p>“No, it’s not that. At least, not exactly. I know you, of course I do. But everything that happened in Acacias was so…fast. And sometimes I think we skipped over a lot of things. And I think I’m a little jealous of Sophie in the sense that she is so familiar and comfortable with you because you’ve shared so much together. And you and I…haven’t.”</p><p>I have to admit, I haven’t thought about it like that. And it suddenly makes sense to me why Camino feels like she’s on somewhat shaky ground – not from romantic jealously, but from a sense of always feeling like she has to catch up.  </p><p>I look at her steadily.</p><p>“You’re right. You and I did skip over some things. But that is something I think we can fix, sí? And as far as anything you want to know about me…all you have to do is ask. We have time, Camino.”</p><p>She nods at my words, and I can see some tension ebb from her shoulders. Her gaze drops off for a moment, and then a small, mischievous smile crosses her face.</p><p>I look at her suspiciously.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>She grins.</p><p>“Tell me about the chickens.”</p><p>I laugh at the surprising request.</p><p>“¿Qué? How on earth did you hear about that?!”</p><p>She shrugs. “It’s kind of a legend around the school. And based on some of the details, I guessed it was you and Sophie.”</p><p>I shake my head and laugh again. She looks at me, waiting.</p><p>“Bueno,” I say, “But first, are you hungry?”</p><p>Camino thinks about it for a second, and then nods.</p><p>“Then let's go make some dinner, and I’ll tell you all about it.”</p><p>She nods again.</p><p>“Deal.”</p><p>We stand and walk toward the kitchen.</p><p>-------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>“And then what happened?” Camino asks from across the table, a delighted smile on her face.</p><p>“Well, Professor Abreo never did find out who put the chickens in his studio, but it took him hours to round them all up and he was plucking feathers from his sculptures for months.”</p><p>Camino leans back in her chair and snickers.</p><p>“And you and Sophie never got in trouble?”</p><p>I shake my head.</p><p>“He couldn’t prove a thing. He was the one who lost the key, so he couldn’t exactly report the problem without admitting it was partly his fault.”</p><p>I stop to lean forward and take a bite of the cutlet Camino made.</p><p>“Mmmm, Camino, this is wonderful, de verdad. Gracias.”</p><p>The side of Camino’s mouth turns up in a smile.</p><p>“Is my cooking the real reason you came back to get me?”</p><p>I pop the last green bean in my mouth and smile back.</p><p>“Yes, but you weren’t supposed to find out so soon.”</p><p>“Mmmhmm.” Camino leans back and sips her wine, and I do the same, and we sit for a moment, the apartment quiet except for the gramophone playing softly in the background. The next song that starts playing is a slow waltz, and I get an idea.</p><p>I stand up and hold my hand out to Camino.</p><p>“Mademoiselle,” I say. She looks up at me, confused.</p><p>“¿Qué?”</p><p>I raise my eyebrows at her.</p><p>“May I have the pleasure of this dance?”</p><p>Now she looks at me almost shyly.</p><p>“We’ve never danced together.”</p><p>“Bueno, there’s lots of things we haven’t done together yet. There’s always a first time. You do dance, don’t you?”</p><p>“Sí,” Camino answers, and then hesitates. “But I’ve never danced…well…I’ve never danced with a woman.”</p><p>I smile down at her.</p><p>“Then you’ll be able to check several firsts off your list tonight. Ven aquí,” I say, wiggling my fingers at her.</p><p>She finally reaches up and places her hand in mine. I tug her up gently and pull her slight frame into my arms. My left hand grasps her right, and I slide my other hand around her waist while hers lands on my shoulder. And thus fitted together, I start to move.</p><p>For the first few steps, she is behind, but she quickly catches up, and we fall into a rhythm. Soon I see Camino’s shoulders relax and her grip on my hand loosens. She looks at me and smiles.</p><p>“Where did you learn to lead?” she asks. I move us slowly around the sofa.</p><p>“I used to watch my father. He’s a wonderful dancer. And I learned early on that it’s a good skill to have if you’re trying to impress ladies.”</p><p>Camino’s smile widens.</p><p>“Oh, I see. So I should learn, then?”</p><p>I narrow my eyes at her, and pull her closer.</p><p>“No,” I say, “You’re never allowed to learn.”</p><p>Camino laughs and we continue turning around the room.</p><p>“Some day soon,” I tell her, “I’m going to take you to a small cabaret in Montmartre where we can dance all night.”</p><p>Camino draws back and looks at me.</p><p>“In public?” she says, an incredulous note in her voice.</p><p>“Sí,” I say, nodding. “It’s owned by two women, anyone can dance with anyone, and often people don’t leave until early the next morning.”</p><p>Camino still doesn’t look like she entirely believes me, but she smiles.</p><p>“Me encantaría bailar contigo en público.”</p><p>I lean forward to brush my nose against hers.</p><p>“Brave words for a girl who wasn’t sure she even wanted to dance a minute ago.”</p><p>She leans forward and touches her lips to mine.</p><p>“It’s growing on me very quickly.”</p><p>“Mmmhmm…”</p><p>It is at that moment that the music changes, the melody becoming smooth and slow. I pull Camino close, wrapping my arms around her, and hers close around my shoulders. I can’t resist leaning forward and kissing her slowly, tasting the wine on her lips.</p><p>We part and she presses her cheek to mine. I can hear her soft breath in my ear, and I close my eyes and enjoy the feeling of swaying with her in time to the music. The feel of her pressed against me spreads a calming warmth throughout my body, and I run my hands languidly along her back.</p><p>“Maite?” I hear her quiet voice.</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“Do you ever get scared?”</p><p>I pull back to look at her.</p><p>“¿De qué, mi niña?</p><p>“That this will end. That this is just a moment.”</p><p>I reach up to cup her face.</p><p>“Do you worry about that?”</p><p>Camino hesitates and then nods.</p><p>“Almost every day I expect someone to come tell me this isn’t real and I have to go back to my old life. That I don’t really get to go to art school. That…you’re not mine and we can’t have a life together.”</p><p>My heart hurts as I listen to her, and I have to remember, again, that as mature as Camino is, she is still young, and these fears are normal, particularly after everything that has been taken away from her.</p><p>“Camino, amor mío,” my thumb strokes at her cheek, “No lo dudes, esto es real. No one is going to make you leave. Everything we’ve fought so hard for is yours,” I say, taking one of her hands and placing it over my heart. “Especially me. For as long as you’ll have me.”</p><p>Camino leans into my touch, and then wraps her arms around me once more.</p><p>“Well, since you don’t want me to learn how to lead…”</p><p>I chuckle, and kiss her once more, her mouth parting as I do. Her tongue slides gently against mine, just enough to cause a small ripple of heat to run through me, and I marvel yet again at the seemingly effortless way this woman makes me <em>want</em> after I hadn’t in so long.</p><p>I pull back just slightly.</p><p>“Mi amor, here’s a secret,” I say against her lips, “You can lead me wherever you want, and I will follow.”</p><p>She smiles and her mouth presses against mine, lingering.</p><p>“Creo que preferiría que bailamos. Juntas.”</p><p>I nod and hold her close as we move together and let the music lead the way.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
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